...

Why is it so dark...?

That was my first thought when I opened my eyes, for some reason it took me a while to open them, as if I had taken a long nap. Looking around all I could see was darkness spreading everywhere. An infinite darkness.

I felt as if I had just woken up from a very long and deep sleep, I still felt quite tired, but I am almost sure I was not sleeping.

I worried if I had a body, but my breathing and the coldness on my skin confirmed it for me, I had a body, but it felt... uncomfortable.

I tried to move my body as best I could, but I could only minimally move my arms and legs.

They felt abnormally heavy... not exactly. They felt uncomfortable, as if they were strained or I didn't have enough flexibility to move them properly.

I quickly gave up on trying to move my body as I wasn't getting any results from this.

I try to remember something, anything, but...

...

Nothing.

My head feels... empty, relaxed, free....

It's as if my mind never had any kind of previous information, everything is blank, like a writing sheet or a blackboard.

It's... a nice feeling, as well as terrifying.

Wait a minute... but if I can't remember anything, then how come I can think...?

Shouldn't I be something like a mindless shell?

Just existing but never thinking?

It doesn't make sense... or maybe it does.... I think I'm missing the point....

...

Anyway, I guess I'll just live in ignorance now and stay away from depressing thoughts... they say ignorance is bliss right?
...

That's kind of silly now that I think about it.

Alright, moving my body is off the list... so how about talking?.

I move my mouth as best I can to form some words, but....

"Wa-Wah...ku...yu."

Strange sounds came from my mouth, no matter how hard I tried to pronounce something coherent I only got strange noises, as if you don't have sufficiently developed vocal cords, or a bad tongue.

It seems that talking is not an option either. This just adds to the strangeness of the whole situation. Fortunately the darkness is... soothing, as if you want to comfort me from all this situation and loneliness.

It's strange isn't it.

The cold that surrounds every part of my body, colliding with the heat generated by it, gives a strangely relaxing and comforting sensation.

The darkness, as old as the light itself, existing in every place and time, never separating one from the other. So silent and mysterious that it generates terror and dread in people's hearts, yet so calm and beautiful that it produces a strange ethereal beauty around it....

Light and Darkness.

Concepts so opposed to each other that they cannot exist without the existence of the other.

Living together in a beautiful dance until the end of time and beyond...

I love this feeling.

....

...

..

.

I wonder if I should be panicking.... although I don't know what panic feels like in the first place... but I feel like I should be panicking.....

Anyway.... I feel tired... I guess you'll join me to sleep right?

I thought as I suddenly felt drowsy, I tried to stay conscious but the tiredness was too much, and slowly but surely, I fell into the realm of unconsciousness accompanied by the mysterious and silent darkness...

 

---

 

My consciousness slowly came back to life. I slowly opened my eyes again, but I could only observe again the infinite and monotonous darkness that surrounded me like a blanket...

I don't even know how I should feel about this situation anymore?

Frightened by the unknown?

Excited by the mystery?

I... I don't know...

And honestly, I don't care....

...

Tap Tap Tap Tap

Suddenly I could hear a noise slowly stalking towards my position... although it was still quite far away from what I could hear... those... were they footsteps?

Clack

You can hear as if something suddenly opened... a door?

That means she was in a room?.

I thought the darkness would leave to make way for the light... but it never left me. Curious.

The footsteps stopped right behind my position, I tried to turn my head but my body refused to obey me.

"..." I could hear a soothing and calming voice coming right behind me, I don't know why, but hearing this voice, brought a great calmness to my being, it was almost as comforting as the darkness around me, it might be even more comforting, I wouldn't know how to describe it but....

It felt like I was at peace with myself.

Suddenly giant white arms carefully lifted me up, as if I was afraid of hurting myself. The 'Person' cradled me in his soft arms as he moved me very slowly from one side to the other following some sort of rhythm.

Taking my vision away from his beautiful arms I could see that the 'Person' who picked me up was a woman, or something like one, but her skin was a very pure white that seemed to sparkle in the infinite darkness around me.

This is the Light, she looks very beautiful.

The only distinguishable features of the 'Person' are a beautiful pair of blue eyes as bright as gems looking at me with love and affection, although behind that affection, I could see a great sadness in the depths of her eyes.

The silhouette pulled me close to her broad chest and instinctively I opened my mouth, though I didn't know the purpose of why, suddenly a delicious substance entered my mouth and made contact with my taste buds.

If I had to describe the taste of the substance going down my throat... I would not know how to describe it other than delicious....

After what I thought would be minutes, I finished sucking on the woman's pair of breasts. The woman giggled in an embarrassed but happy manner for a few seconds before stroking my head gently with her hand, then placing me on something soft and leaving the room....

At the last moment I could see that in reality the woman's skin was not bright white, but was a kind of white mist that covered her whole body almost perfectly, making it look like her skin was totally white, the only exception to this were her beautiful eyes....

That... was strange, beautiful but strange.

She could still remember the soft touch of the woman's hands, she felt some kind of... connection with the woman....

...

After thinking about everything that has happened so far I came to a... possible conclusion or hypothesis.

I guess I am a baby, or at least that is the only logical explanation I can come up with in this situation... if I am not a baby... then I am out of ideas, so I am going to assume that I am a baby... and that woman is my Mother.

That doesn't explain the darkness around me or why the woman seemed to be made of fog, but it was the best I had so far.

I should be happy to get a little clue about my current situation... but I feel nothing, as if I had always known....

Besides, what was this Mist and why could I see it?

Was the Mist something that covered the woman, like a suit, or was it the woman's skin?

Mentally scratching my head and trying to make sense of it all. I could only let out an annoyed sigh at not being able to understand anything.

At least the darkness was comforting me with its silent presence.

"Waahhh..." I let out a sleepy little yawn.

It seems the woman's substance made me sleepy, or maybe a baby's brain isn't wired to have many thoughts at once, but I resisted as best I could the instinct to fall asleep, leaving some thoughts for later....

Babies are supposed to follow their instincts?

Why am I different?

Or am I wrong and this is a normal situation?

Maybe that's why I can't see?

Because I haven't developed my eyesight properly yet?

Am I a baby after all?

Anyway... tomorrow I will have more time to think... time for time...

That was my last thought before falling back into the already known realm of unconsciousness...

 

---

 

Walking through the lonely corridors of a large mansion, one of the most important and influential figures in the Eiger Kingdom, Zoe Flumin, could be seen. The current head of House Flumin and nationally famous merchant of high quality magical items.

She had just finished feeding her youngest daughter after finishing with her enormous daily paperwork. Sometimes she regretted creating such a large and important business for the country, but it's not like she had a choice, right?

At least Zoe was glad that her daughters were in good health...for the most part.

"Haa" Zoe couldn't help but sigh as she remembered her youngest daughter's cold, dull eyes. She partly felt responsible for her daughter being born with that condition, even if she couldn't do anything to change that event.

"Is something wrong my Lady?" asked a cold, monotone voice behind Zoe.

If it was the Zoe of a decade ago she might have jumped out of fear, as happened many times over so many years, but now she had grown accustomed to her faithful servant appearing out of nowhere, even if it was a bit creepy.

"You look a little down, may I ask why?"

Zoe turned her head to look at her oldest and most loyal servant, Clair.

Clair was a tall woman (173cm), her skin was strangely pale, her hair a jet black color, which combined with her rare yellow eyes gave an exotic look. She was dressed in a traditional maid's outfit with the addition a small House Flumin logo on her right shoulder. The logo consisted of a feather writing on a piece of paper with some small flowers around it.

However what stood out most about Clair was the wolf ears on her head.

Shaking her head towards Clair, Zoe replied. "It's nothing Clair, just... thinking."

Clair stared at Zoe for a moment before muttering. "I see..."

"How's Flora's training going?" Zoe changed the subject as she continued walking through Flumin Manor, Clair trailing behind her. "I thought she was in your care?"

"The young lady is currently with Anna going over the historical facts of the Kingdom" Clair reported keeping pace with her Mistress. "She has made some remarkable progress in the last couple of months, she has excelled especially in the physical area."

"Are you referring to the use of Inner Mana or Weapon Training?" asked Zoe curious about her daughter's progress, she expected her to excel in the control of Outer Mana due to her blood and ancestry so this development of events is a surprise.

"Both my Lady, she has shown quite a high talent with Internal Mana management, she even learned Passive Regeneration on her own, though I have no idea how. As for Weapon Training, she has excelled with most weapons, highlighting the Halberd, Mandoble and Melee, unfortunately the young lady said they don't like proportioned weapons, so we are looking for and modifying a weapon that suits her battle style" Clair informed as they reached a large window where a large part of the Capital of Eiger Kingdom could be seen, showing thousands of buildings of different types.

Zoe folded her arms as she took in the view, before closing her eyes as if deep in thought about something. "That's good, unexpected, but good. How's your progress with the Outer Mana?"

Clair shook her head slightly. "Except for Fire Magic, there has been no notable or outstanding progress."

"I see..." Zoe murmured, before nodding to herself and opening her eyes to look at Clair. "I will be leaving the Capital shortly for Blackwall Territory for an oversight of the New Headquarters in their territory, I want everything to be running smoothly, until then you will be in charge of keeping the maids in order, as well as looking after Flora and Sophia. When I return I want a report of everything that happened while I was away, understood?"

"Understood."

With a bow to her Mistress, Clair took her leave of Zoe.

Zoe stared out at the beautiful view of the capital before turning and heading to her work office...
...